Christmas Cowboy Kisses. Carol Arens

she did so.

      “You look pretty enough to put on the top of the tree, Joy,” Gideon said. “You sure enough look like an angel in that beautiful cloak. Your grandfather knew just what would look lovely on you.”

      “I have something else for Joseph,” Joy said hesitantly. “I didn’t wrap them, but I thought he might like something I’ve enjoyed for many years. In fact,” she said, bringing a pile of books from beneath the tree, “if Joseph would like me to, I’d enjoy reading one of the stories to him tonight before he goes to bed.”

      “Would you really, Joy?” the boy asked, his eyes pleading as he stood before her, his hands reaching for the books she held. “Oh, look, Daddy. Just look at the books Joy gave me.” Joseph sat down on the floor and looked over the assortment Joy had gathered together from her own library for him.

      “Here’s a whole book about horses and another about dogs. There’s lots of stories in this one, and look at the pictures of all kinds of horses in this one. And here’s Black Beauty, too.” He hugged the book to his chest. “I’ve always wanted to have someone read this story to me. And now Joy says she will. Will we be here long enough for her to read the whole thing, Daddy? Will we?” the boy asked pleadingly.

      “Of course you will,” Joy said quickly. “I’m sure you and your father aren’t going anywhere in a hurry, Joseph. You’ll be here for a good while, I’m certain.”

      “As long as Joy and her grandfather will let us stay,” Gideon added with a quick smile at Joy. “There’s lots of work I can do here to make life easier for Joy and Grandpa this winter. We’ll stay for a while.”

      “You betcha,” Grandpa added. “We’ve been needing someone to lend a hand around here. It’s too much for Joy, and I can’t do much to help her. At least not in the snow.”

      “That’s settled, then,” Joy said with a wide grin. “You can stay as long as you like, Gideon.”

      “Well, this has been the merriest Christmas we’ve had for several years,” Gideon said, bending to pick Joseph up in his arms. “I just know my son hasn’t been so happy in a long time.” And then Grandpa called out for Joseph to draw near to him.

      The boy scooted over to stand by Grandpa while the old man dug in his pocket, finally drawing forth a wooden figure. It was a small horse, and the boy watched wide-eyed as the old man held it in the palm of his hand. “Maybe this could be Black Beauty, sonny,” Grandpa said with a wide smile. “Not the right color horse, but you can pretend he’s black till your pa can paint him for you one day.”

      “Oh, I can pretend without black paint, Grandpa,” the lad cried, holding out his palm for the small figure.

      Grandpa placed the figure in Joseph’s hand and then had to stop and wipe his eyes and nose, so caught up in the lad’s pleasure he almost shed a few tears. “I’m happy you like it, Joseph,” he said, reaching to hug the boy in a quick embrace.

      Joseph ran to his father. “Lookee what Grandpa made for me, Daddy. Ain’t it the prettiest thing you ever saw?”

      “Sure enough it is,” Gideon said, casting a thankful look at the old man who watched the boy so closely.

      Joy rose from the sofa, bent on making it to the kitchen before tears escaped her control. “I’m going to clean up and get ready to fix our Christmas dinner,” she said, hurrying from the room.

      “I reckon I’ll give her a hand.” Gideon put his son on the floor and headed after the young woman he’d barely been able to keep his gaze from all morning. Joseph ran to the sofa.

      “Can you and me just sit here and watch the Christmas tree?” he asked Grandpa, who held out an arm to enclose the lad’s shoulders as he sat beside him.

      Gideon went to the kitchen where Joy was wiping the last of her tears and had set about with the breakfast dishes. His arms encircled her and she rested against him for a few moments. “It’s been a wonderful morning, but now the dishes await me, Gideon,” she said with a sigh.

      “Tell you what, ma’am. I’ll dry if you’ll wash,” he said, picking up the dish towel and waving it with a flourish, as if intent on drying her tears with his foolishness.

      And so the day passed, all enjoying the dinner Joy fixed for them, Gideon doing the chores closer to nightfall and Grandpa whittling another figure for Joseph to match the horse he’d given him. “This way you’ll have a team of ’em,” Grandpa said, busily carving the long legs on the figure in his hands.

      It was truly the best Christmas Joy could recall as she sat on the sofa after replacing the candles on the tree and lighting them anew. Gideon came in from the barn and stomped his feet as he hung his coat and then joined them in the parlor.

      “I’m going to see about putting this boy to bed. He’s had a big day and he’s about ready to shut his eyes and doze off,” Gideon said quietly, picking Joseph up and holding him close.

      “Well, get him ready for bed and send him down to me if he’s still wide-awake. I’ll read to him for a while from Black Beauty and see how he likes it. It’s a good story, for sure,” Joy said.

      So it was that she curled up on the sofa with a lamp on the table next to her on one side and a small boy gathered to her on the other. The book lay open on her lap and she found herself with an audience as Gideon joined them, sitting on the floor by her feet as she read. Joseph snuggled close as if he hadn’t been cuddled in a long while and his head drooped against her, finally dropping to her lap as he snoozed while she read.

      Joy closed the book after inserting a bookmark she’d knitted, a miniature scarf, only an inch or so wide.

      Gideon smiled as he saw it. “You’re just full of talents, Joy,” he said. “You not only cook and clean, but you know how to tend to a family in every way possible. I’m in awe at your abilities.”

      Joy flushed, nodding her thanks for the compliment, placing the book she’d been reading on the table beside her. “This boy is about out for the night,” she whispered to Gideon as he approached.

      “I’ll take him up now. And I think I’ll crawl in beside him. We’re both nearly tuckered out. Will you being going up, too, Grandpa?” he asked the older man.

      Grandpa nodded and headed for the stairs, dropping a quick kiss on Joy’s cheek as he passed her chair. “Good night, Grandpa. And you, too, Gideon. I’ll lock the doors and be on my way, too,” Joy said, stifling a yawn as she spoke.

      “It was the most beautiful Christmas I’ve ever had,” Gideon said as he paused by her chair. “And you made it possible, Joy. You and your grandfather. I can’t thank you enough, both from me and my son. I’ll bank the fire in the kitchen and be right back to tote my boy upstairs.”

      Joy looked up into his eyes and felt warmed from within. Gideon’s smile was one she’d never seen before, filled with more than affection, for he bestowed upon her a smile that spoke to her heart.

      “I’ll be turning in, too, once I make sure all the candles are out,” she said.

      “I’ll see you in the morning, Joy. God bless you, for you’ve been a real blessing to me. And to Joseph.” He bent, leaving the touch of his lips against her cheek, then went into the kitchen where she heard him lifting a burner on the stove, preparatory to banking the fire for the night. By the time she’d gone to her own room he was back in the parlor, picking up his son and carrying him to the stairs, where she heard his footsteps touch each step. She watched from her bedroom doorway as he climbed, looking down at the lad he carried, lifting him close to his heart as he reached the top of the stairs and headed to the first room on the right.

      The house was quiet as Joy found her bed. Before she snuggled beneath her quilts, she lifted herself up a bit to blow out the candle she’d brought to light her way. Her fingers touched the spot on her cheek where Gideon had left his warmth. The man seemed to have crept into her life and her heart in a way she’d never have dreamed possible.